Took off from RAF Wickenby at 21:35 hrs. to bomb the heart of Germany, Berlin, along with 328 other bombers. The flight out was hampered by heavy icing and electrical storms over the North Sea which forced 120 aircraft to return.

The remainder continued and met heavy night fighter resistance in the calmer weather conditions over the continent. Night fighter squadrons engaged from their bases at Twenthe and Deelen claiming 9 from the Berlin attackers.

During its home run Lancaster W4858 was hit by flak, killing the wireless operator and damaging both starboard engines. The aircraft continued on its return for another two hours when, with only limited fuel left the pilot ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft whilst he held in steady. Sgt. George Warren was sadly killed when his parachute failed to deploy fully. The aircraft crashed near Rotterdam in Holland.

Sgt Frank Pinkerton, managed to evade capture as he made his way through Holland and Belgium into France. Once in France he was assisted by the French resistance to cross the border into Spain from where he was finally repatriated to RAF Wickenby on board a Dakota, via Whitchurch airport, Bristol on the 21st June. (along with 6 other evaders) He was soon flying Lancasters again and was eventually posted to Aden for the duration of the war. (note: it was general policy to post aircrew who had evaded capture, to another theatre of the war in the event that if he was captured, the people who assisted his evasion would not be compromised)

Accuracy regarding the damage caused by the allied bombers is disputed, however, German sources claimed that 148 people were killed on the ground and the same number of buildings totally destroyed. The allied attack cost the allies heavily with 21 aircraft lost.

(1) Married in 1945. After the war he took up a career in civil aviation with British European Airways. Tragically, on Friday August 19th 1949, Captain Pinkerton was flying an ex RAF DC-3 from Belfast to Manchester Ringway with 29 civil passengers when the BEA Dakota G-AHCY crashed into Wimberry Stones Brow, Dovestones, Saddleworth. All the crew of 3 were killed along with 21 of the passengers.

Burial details:

Sgt. Frank Morton. Rotterdam General Cemetery (Crooswijk). Plot LL. Row 2. Grave 33. Son of William and Elsie May Morton, of Sheffield, England. Grave inscription reads: “He Died That We Might Live. Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten”.